Category: ESPN
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NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship Brings in Massive Numbers on ESPN and ABC
After an exciting Final Four and a run of record ratings, the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship culminated with massive viewership on ESPN and ABC. The contest — which had Kamilla Cardoso’s South Carolina Gamecocks take the title over Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes — delivered a huge 18.7 million viewers. That number is only expected…
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Iowa-LSU is the Most-Watched College Basketball Game for ESPN Ever
A showdown for the ages brought in record ratings for ESPN. The Elite Eight contest — which had Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes advance past Angel Reese’s LSU Tigers — delivered a record 12.3 million viewers for the sports network on Monday night. That makes it the most-watched women’s college basketball game on record. In fact,…
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How ESPN is Changing the Way We Watch Baseball
Whether it’s advanced volumetric replays via Statcast, in-game conversations with players on the field, or unique collaborations with Major League Baseball, the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball crew is prepared to deliver even deeper insight and understanding into the game. “People want experiences,” Karl Ravech, a veteran ESPN baseball commentator, said. “Our broadcast is an opportunity…
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ESPN and the College Football Playoff Extend Exclusive Media Rights Agreement Through 2031-32 Season
ESPN and the College Football Playoff (CFP) have reached a pair of media agreements that ensures ESPN will continue as the exclusive, worldwide rightsholder to college football’s premier postseason event through the 2031-32 season. The exclusive home of the CFP since its inception in 2015, ESPN will expand its current package for the final two…
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Pete Distad Named CEO of ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery Joint Sports Streaming Service
Former Apple TV+ executive Pete Distad has been named the CEO of the new joint sports streaming service that is being created by ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. Distad is a leader an experienced leader in media, sports and technology. He was previously at Apple for a decade and before that, he was at…
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Disney Shares Highlights of Bob Iger’s Morgan Stanley Conference Q&A
This last week Disney CEO Bob Iger had a question and answer session at the Morgan Stanley Conference. During this session, he highlighted where Disney is and where it is going. The overarching message that Iger gave during this conference was that of optimism. Speaking about how Disney is poised for a strong future, “I…
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ESPN’s Women-Led NBA Broadcast Is ‘Business as Usual’
This Friday, ESPN will have an all-women led NBA broadcast to celebrate International Women’s Day. Beth Mowins, Monica McNutt, and Katie George will call the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ll be supported by an entirely female production staff, led by ESPN producer Laurie Privitera. This is the third year in a row that…
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FuboTV Sues Disney, Fox Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery Over Sports Streaming Platform
FuboTV has sued The Walt Disney Company, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery seeking to block a joint venture between the three companies for a sports platform. It alleges that there are antitrust issues with the three media companies coming together for the joint streaming platform. FuboTV says that it is being forced to carry…
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Justice Department Scrutinizing Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Joint Sports Streaming Service
The Justice Department is scrutinizing the joint sports streaming service that was announced by Disney, Fox Corp, and Warner Bros. Discovery over concerns about potential harm to consumers, media competitors, and sports leagues. There will be a regulatory review that will happen once the joint venture venture agreement is completed. At this point, the companies…
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JJ Redick Joins Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Lisa Salters on ESPN’s Lead NBA Broadcast Team
ESPN on Thursday announced that analyst JJ Redick will join Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcasters Mike Breen and Doris Burke to form ESPN and ABC’s new, lead NBA broadcast team. The trio will be joined by veteran reporter Lisa Salters. The team will call the NBA Finals on ABC, the Eastern Conference Finals, and marquee NBA…
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ESPN to Launch Stand Alone Streaming Service by Fall 2025
On an earnings call this week, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that Disney is planning on having its stand alone streaming service for ESPN in place by the fall of 2025. Disney promised that this new streaming service would provide innovative digital features and create a one-stop sports destination that is unlike anything else available…
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Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Team Up for Sports Streaming Service
Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. are coming together to create a sports streaming service. This comes as sports rights are more expensive than ever and viewers are abandoning traditional television for streaming services. This new streaming service was announced as a proposal on Tuesday with the three companies coming together to attract sports fans who…
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The Walt Disney Company Celebrates Black History Month
Throughout the month, Disney will honor and ‘give flowers’ of recognition to creators, storytellers, and magic makers for their contributions to culture The Walt Disney Company is committed to celebrating and inspiring a more inclusive world through the creation of authentic stories, experiences and products that capture the imagination of all people. Disney is celebrating Black heritage…
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Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ to Begin Cracking Down on Password Sharing
The process of cracking down on password sharing for Disney’s streaming service has begun. An update to the Subscriber Agreements on all three streaming services mark the first step toward this crackdown on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. These changes come after Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that it would be cracking down on password sharing…
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NFL Reportedly in Advanced Talks With Disney For Stake in ESPN
Disney may have found a partner for ESPN. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the NFL and Disney are in advanced talks for the National Football League to take a stake in ESPN. If the deal were to go through, it would give Disney control over the NFL Network and other NFL media properties.…
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ESPN and NCAA Reach New, Eight-Year Media Rights Agreement
ESPN and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have reached a new, eight-year agreement beginning Sept. 1, 2024, for NCAA championships media rights. The deal includes domestic rights to a record 40 NCAA championships – 21 women’s and 19 men’s events – and international rights to those same NCAA championships plus the Division I men’s…
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Doris Burke on Calling the NBA’s Inaugural In-Season Tournament for ESPN
Doris Burke has covered nearly everything in her more than 30 years at ESPN. However, this Friday she will take on something new: the NBA’s first ever in-season tournament. Burke alongside Mike Breen and Doc Rivers will be a part of the announcing team for the in-season tournament, which has NBA squads facing off for the NBA Cup and…
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ESPN BET to Debut with a Planned Launch on Nov. 14
ESPN BET, a newly-branded online sportsbook for fans in the United States, is set to debut with a planned launch on Nov. 14. Subject to final approvals, ESPN BET will go live in 17 states, which include: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and…
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Disney Reveals Just How Profitable ESPN Is
The Walt Disney Company has revealed new numbers under it’s restructured business plan that shows just how much ESPN is worth to the company. After the return of Disney CEO Bob Iger to the head of the company, it was restructured into three main segments. Disney’s three main segments are now: New SEC filings show…
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An Animated Behind-the-Scenes Look at ESPN’s ‘Toy Story Funday Football’
ESPN, The Walt Disney Company, and the National Football League are teaming up for Toy Story Funday Football, a first-of-its-kind presentation featuring beloved characters from Pixar Animation Studios. This Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET, fans can immerse themselves in a fully-animated offering on Disney+, ESPN+, and on mobile with the NFL+ app when the Atlanta Falcons…
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ESPN Delivers Its Most-Watched ‘Monday Night Football’ Game Ever with More Than 22.6 Million Viewers
ESPN’s 2023 Monday Night Football season debut was a record breaker, as more than 22.6 million viewers watched the Buffalo Bills at the New York Jets across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, NFL+, and ESPN Deportes. The viewership surpasses the 2009 Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings game, which featured Hall of Famer Brett Favre vs. his former…
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Toy Story Funday Football Coming to Disney+ and ESPN+
“To Infinity and Beyond!” ESPN, The Walt Disney Company, and the NFL are Bringing Fans a First-of-its-Kind, Fully-Animated Alternate NFL Game Presentation of the Falcons and Jaguars in Pixar’s Iconic “Toy Story”Universe Toy Story Funday Football, a Real-Time Alternate Presentation, Streams Sunday Morning, October 1, at 9:30 a.m. ET on Disney+ and ESPN+ The NFL’s…
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Disney and Amazon Reportedly in Talks About ESPN Partnership
Amazon and Disney are reportedly in early talks to work on the streaming version of ESPN that is in development. This could also involve Amazon taking a minority stake in the streaming service. The news is being reported by The Information, citing sources that are close the matter. Currently Disney and ESPN are working on…
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ESPN Held Talks With The NBA, NFL, and MLB About Potential Strategic Partnership
A week after Disney CEO Bob Iger talked about the possibility of bringing a strategic partnership to ESPN, it now appears that early discussions have been had to do just that. CNBC is reporting that ESPN has held early discussions with the NBA, NFL, and MLB about a potential strategic partnership. Disney CEO Bob Iger…